Apparatus for meshing corrugated tapes



Nov. 1 4, 1961 I A, SCHNEIDER 3,008,507

APPARATUS FOR MESHING CORRUGATED TAPES Filed July 15, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 Nov. 14, 1961 H. A. SCHNEIDER APPARATUS FOR MESHING CORRUGATED TAPES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 13, 1959 NWUR Patented Nov. 14, 1961 3,008,507 APPARATUS FOR MESHINS G CORRUGATED T PE Herbert A. Schneider, Maywood, Ill., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 13, 1959, Ser. No. 826,600 3 Claims. (Cl. 153-2) This invention relates to apparatus for meshing corrugated tapes, and more particularly to apparatus for precisely meshing a pair of corrugated tapes such that the corrugations of one tape identically correspond to the corrugations of the other tape.

In the manufacturing of certain types of telephone or other electrical cable, it is the practice to longitudinally form a pair of metallic strips or tapes around the cable in order to electrically shield and protect the cable. In one specific application, such as disclosed in H. G. Johnstone Patent 2,589,700, two metallic tapes are utilized, one being of aluminum and the other of steel, which tapes are both corrugated before being formed longitudinally around the cable to give the cable flexibility. In such an operation, it is essential that the corrugations in the two tapes be made to correspond and mesh before the forming operation.

The machines which corrugate the metallic tapes are provided with tension and speed control devices which regulate the number of corrugations per unit length and the speed of the tape that is being produced from the machines. However, such controls are not sufficiently fine to insure the proper meshing of a plurality of corrugated tapes having as many as ten corrugations per inch. Prior art methods and devices for insuring the proper meshing of the corrugated tapes are insufficient in that they are not automatic but require an operator to manually adjust weights or tension controls on the tape. 'Also, prior art methods do not prevent the possibility of improper meshing or deforming of one tape in relation to the other at all times, but are dependent upon an operator being informed that such improper meshing and de forming is occurring before the situation is corrected.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide new and improved apparatus for meshing corrugated tapes.

It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for automatically providing continuous control over a pair of corrugated tapes to insure the proper meshing thereof.

It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for meshing a pair of tapes having a different number of corrugations per unit length and moving at different speeds, which apparatus is designed for matching corrugations of the two tapes and then for stretching the tape having a higher number of corrugations per unit length to identically match the corrugations of the other tape.

In a related copending application of C. A. Hallam, which issued as US. Patent 2,916,072 on December 8, 1959, there is disclosed an apparatus for corrugating aluminum and steel tapes, meshing the two tapes together, and then forming the meshed tapes about an advancing cable core. According to that application, the two tapes are corrugated by independently driven pairs of corrugating rolls, then advance through a separate pair of generally triangular tensioning loops having weightbiased tensioning rolls, next advance around a pair of toothed output rolls that are rotated at the same speeds by the tapes due to a direct sprocket-and-chain connection between the two output rolls, then pass over a smooth idler roll where the two tapes mesh together, and

finally are pulled together after the meshing point by the advancing cable core. The corrugating rates are automatically regulated by feedback circuits controlled by the tape tensions in the two tensioning loops.

In one embodiment of that application, the aluminium tape is purposely formed with slightly more corrugations per unit length than the steel tape, whereby the aluminium tape is stretched beyond its elastic limit as it leaves the associated outlet roll so that the two tapes ultimately have the same number of corrugations per inch and may mesh with each other.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide improvements in the tape-meshing apparatus disclosed in the Hallam patent, whereby two tapes having different numbers of corrugations per unit length are positively forced into matching relationship corrugation for corrugation prior to advancement of the two tapes to a cableforming machine.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplates the corrugating of a pair of tapes at different speeds and with a different number of corrugations per unit length such that the products of the speed and number of corrugations per unit length of the two tapes are substantially equal. An improved meshing apparatus, according to certain features of the invention, may include a rotatable roll having a toothed periphery for engaging several successive corrugations on": a first tape, and compression means having a curved surface closely spaced from the toothed roll and designed for forcing the corrugations of a second tape, having more corrugations per unit length than the first tape, into matching relationship one for one with the corrugations of the first tape as the tapes pass between the toothed roll and the curved surface.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a corrugated tape meshing apparatus according to the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 discloses an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 particularly illustrating the manner in which the corrugations of the two tapes are forced into matching relationship by a pair of coacting rolls and the stretching of one tape to conform to the corrugations of the other.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an aluminium tape 10 and a steel tape 11 are fed from supply rolls into respective corrugating machines 12 and 13. The corrugating machines 12 and 13 are of a commercially available type and may be generally as illustrated in the Hallam patent. The corrugating machines 12 and 13 have included therein standard types of tension and speed control devices which produce relatively constant corrugations per unit length and tape speeds. The aluminium corrugator 12 is controlled to corrugate the aluminium tape 10 at a slightly greater number of corrugations per unit length than the number of corrugations per unit length that is produced by the steel corrugating machine 13. The number of corrugations per unit length and tape speeds of the two tapes are controlled, however, such that the product of the number of corrugations per unit length and the tape speed (which product is the corrugations per unit time and will hereinafter be referred to as the frequency) of each tape is substantially equal. For example, assuming that the steel tape 11 is produced to have ten corrugations per inch and a speed of ten feet per minute; the aluminium tape would be produced, for example, having 11.1 corrugations per inch and a speed of nine feet per minute such that the frequency of the steel tape would be 1200 corrugations per minute and the frequency of the aluminium tape would be substantially the same, or about 1198.8 corrugations per minute.

The steel tape 11 is then guided over a roller 14 and under a roller 16 having a weight 17 connected thereto which maintains a constant tension on the steel tape 11. The steel tape is then guided over a freely rotatable roll 18 having an undulating or toothed periphery which substantially matches the corrugations formed in the steel tape, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The tape 11 is then guided into a forming device 19 which may, for example, be a conventional cable-sheathing machine that forms the steel tape longitudinally around an advancing cable core. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the toothed roll 18 is so disposed between the corrugating machine 13 and the forming device 19, having regard to its spatial position, that the corrugated steel tape 11 passes around a substantial are (about 90) on the periphery of the roll '18 whereby several successive corrugations of the steel tape 11 engage teeth of the roll 18 so as to rotate the roll 18 upon advancement of the tape 11.

The aluminum tape is guided over a roller 21 .after leaving the corrugating machine 12 and is then passed between the steel tape 11 on the toothed roll 18 and a compression roll 22, which is mounted in closely spaced proximity to the toothed roll 18 so that the clearance therebetween is only slightly greater than the sum of the uncorrugated thicknesses of the two tapes 10 and 11, as illustrated in FIG. 2. At the point of nip or closest approach between the rolls 18 and 22, the aluminum tape 10 is forced by the compression roll 22 to be matched corrugation for corrugation with the steel tape 11 on the roll 18, and then the tape 10 is also fed into the forming device 19.

The steel tape 11 may, as stated before, be corrugated with ten corrugations per inch and be advanced from the corrugating machine 13 at a speed of ten feet per minute. In this instance, the tape 11 is also pulled by the forming device 19 at the rate of ten feet per minute, after the tape 11 passes over the toothed roll 18. The aluminum tape 10, corrugated at the rate of 11.1 corrugations per inch and advancing from the corrugating machine 12 at the slower speed of nine feet per minute, is passed around the compression roll 22 and is likewise pulled by the forming device 19 at the speed of ten feet per minute. The cable sheathing machine, or forming device 19, generically constitutes an ultimate mechanism for advancing the two tapes 10 and 11 together at the same speed. The angle of approach of the two tapes toward the rolls 18 and 22 is made sufliciently large, as illustrated in FIG, 2, that only one corrugation of each tape is matched at a time and there is substantially no likelihood of tangling or premature engagement of the tapes. The distance between the rolls 18 and 22 is adjusted to the slight clearance previously mentioned, which is such that the corrugated aluminum tape 10 cannot be pulled between the rolls 18 and 22 without matching corrugation for corrugation with the steel tape 11.

The angle of approach of the corrugated aluminum tape 10 toward the compression roll 22 is also adjusted to deflect the corrugations or undulations of the tape 10 on one side thereof; that is, the undulations in the tape 10 will be spread by a deflecting of the tape at the points 23 to match the corrugations of the steel tape 11 with the corrugations of the aluminum tape 10 at a point 24 between the rolls 18 and 22. For this purpose, the compression roll 22 is so disposed between the aluminum corrugating machine 12 and the forming device 19 that the aluminum tape 10 passes around a substantial are (about 90) on the periphery of the roll 22 prior to advancement into engagement with the steel tape 11 on the toothed roll 18.

It is to be understood that the matching of corrugations at the point 24 is not a permanent matching operation and that the aluminum tape 10 is not stretched nor forced at this point to conform with the corrugations in the steel tape 11. The slower speed of the aluminum tape 10 approaching the point 24 is compensated for by the deflecting or spreading of corrugations around the compression roll 22 such that the corrugations of the aluminum tape may be freely matched to the corrugations in the steel tape without the deformation of the aluminum tape 10.

Once past the point 24, the aluminium tape 10 springs back to the original shape and is then stretched by the faster pulling speed of the forming device 19 to decrease the number of corrugations per unit length, in the specific example, from 11.1 corrugations per inch to ten corru gations per inch. At the same time, the aluminium tape 10 accelerates, due to the stretching, from a speed of nine feet per minute approaching the compression roll 22 to a speed of ten feet per minute approaching the forming device 19.. As the tape frequencies of the two tapes leaving the corrugation and meshing rolls 18 and 22 are compelled by those rolls to be substantially equal, the aluminium tape 10 will be stretched between the compression roll 22 and the forming device 19 to have substantially the same number of corrugations per unit length as the number of corrugations per unit length of the steel tape 11. The steel tape, being under tension between the pulling force of the forming device 19 and the weight 17 attached to the roller 16, forms a rack between the toothed roll 18 and the forming device 19, into which the aluminium tape 10 is guided as it is being stretched between the point 24 and the forming device 19. The only function of the weight 17 is to tension the steel tape 11 sufliciently to form a relatively taut rack thereof between the forming device 19 and the toothed roll 18, so as to facilitate the precise meshing of the tapes; thus, the magnitude of the weight 17 is not critical and needs no periodic adjustment to suit variant speeds, so long as the steel tape 11 is not stretched beyond its elastic limit.

It may be understood that as the aluminium tape 10 is corrugated with the number of corrugations per unit length substantially greater than the number of corrugations per unit length of the steel tape 11, it will always be the aluminium tape, having a greater degree of flexibility, that will be stretched to match the steel tape 11. This eliminates the possibility of the steel tape ever having a greater number of corrugations per unit length than the aluminium tape. Also, it may be understood that at the point 24, between the rolls 18 and 22, the corrugations of the two tapes will only be temporarily matched; therefore, no exact and highly precise frequency match of tape corrugations is required. Then, after the corrugations of the two tapes are once matched corrugation for corrugation, the pulling of the two tapes at the same speed by the forming device 19 stretches the aluminium tape to substantially the same number of corrugations per unit length as the steel tape whereafter the steel tape forms a rigid rack or guide for precisely and identically aligning the corrugations of the two tapes.

Utilizing this apparatus, the corrugations of the two tapes are precisely, identically and automatically aligned without the necessity of fine adjustment of tension on the tapes as they leave the corrugating machines 12 and 13.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the are which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a duplex corrugating apparatus of the type including a first corrugating machine designed for corrugating a first tape with a predetermined number of corrugations per unit length and for advancing the first corrugated tape at a predetermined speed, a second corrugating machine designed for corrugating a second and more flexible tape with a slightly greater number of corrugations per unit length and for advancing the second corrugated tape at a slightly slower speed, and an ultimate mechanism for advancing the two tapes together at the same speed; an improved apparatus for meshing the two corrugated tapes, which comprises a rotatable roll having a toothed periphery designed for engaging several successive corrugations of the first tape; and compression means having a curved surface positioned in spaced relationship to said toothed roll so that the second tape passes around the curved surface and between that surface and the first tape on said toothed roll, the clearance between the curved surface and said toothed roll being only slightly greater than the sum of the uncorrugated thicknesses of the two tapes so that the corrugations of the second tape are positively forced by said compression means to be matched one for one with the corrugations of the first tape as the two tapes pass between said toothed roll and the curved surface, whereby the second tape is stretched between the ultimate advancing mechanism and said 6 toothed roll so as to match the first tape as toboth speed and number of corrugations per unit length.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the compression means comprises a rotatable smooth-surfaced compression roll, and wherein the rolls are so arranged that the angle between the first tape approaching the toothed roll and the second tape approaching the compression roll is sufficiently large to prevent premature engagement or tangling of the two tapes prior to the advance-ment thereof between the two rolls.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein means are provided for tensioning the first tape so as to form a relatively taut rack thereof between the ultimate advancing means and the toothed roll, which rack facilitates the precise meshing of the stretched second tape with the taut first tape prior to the passage of the two tapes to the ultimate advancing means.

Trytten Aug. 4, 1936 Hallan Dec. 8, 1959 

